Otherworld
by theirischan
Summary: He's found in the strangest of places. He's saved by the strangest of girls. How will his forgotten past, tentative present, and uncertain future affect the world around him? Tikku and Tuna fans will enjoy, but not quite a love triangle! FF X and FF X-2!
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **WOW, I've finally managed to get this story going again! It's been almost **FIVE** years! The first two chapters of Otherworld were originally published on my old account, **UnfortunateKingdom** on **August 28, 2005**. Last year I discovered the **Digimon Dimensions** fanfiction series by **BlazingChaos**, and I've been reading them off and on since then. Anyway, **BC** is a great writer, and his consistency with his fanfiction has inspired me! He's kept at it for years, so why shouldn't I finish out this fic? I swear this time I will finish! I've got _**drumroll**_ a plan! Inspired by **BlazingChaos**, I planned out my fic. It is nowhere near as complicated or extensive as his series, but now that I've planned out my story all I have to do is fill in the creative blanks! And if you liked these first two chapters… I think you're really going to enjoy what is to come. So welcome new readers and enjoy! Old readers, thank you SO much for hanging in there! I hope the following chapters are everything you've been waiting for! Read and review my fic please! And if you happen to be a Digimon fan, check out **BlazingChaos' Digimon Dimensions **series! AND without further ado…

* * *

**Otherworld**

**Prolouge**

He couldn't remember anything. Where he was, where he'd been, what he was doing, who he was. It scared him at first, but then he finally began to realize that he must be dying. He tried to remember something... anything about his life. He held his hand infront of his face, but it triggered no memories. It was a worn hand - lightly calloused, jagged fingernails... he wondered what he had done with this hand. Sighing he dropped his hand back down by his side. If he was to die now, he wanted to die without any worries. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Things had been dim anyway, but now that his eyes were shut he was encased in complete darkness.

He was finally beginning to relax and let go of his thoughts when all of a sudden there was a loud explosion and an even louder thud. He snapped open his eyes, only to shut them again quickly. It was so bright... so incredibly bright. Little colored dots jumped around in front of his closed eyelids, and he winced. So this was death? The light at the end of the tunnel thing wasn't just a metaphor...

"_Hey, wait you guys! There's someone down there!_" He heard a faint voice call. Since he couldn't understand the words being spoken, he just closed his eyes tighter.

"_Rikku, get away from there, it's dangerous!"_

_"But there's someone down there! We can't destroy this place with someone inside! What if they're still alive? We're supposed to save any poor soul we find in the ruins, it's our duty!"_

Everyting was silent for a moment, and he thought maybe he would finally be put to rest, when all of sudden he was violently jerked out of his comfortable position, and not very gracefully at that. He let out a scream and his eyes snapped open. Everything was blurry at first, and dark circles swam before his eyes. His vision came back just enough for him to realize that he was looking into the face of a girl.

"You okay?"She was the voice he had heard, and now he was looking right at her, watching her speak in a language he understood. She had honey blonde hair decorated with several braids and beads. She wore a strange orange and blue leather outfit with many belts and buckles on it. Large metal shoulder guards armored her, and a pair of goggles rested atop her head. He figured she must be an angel, but he had never imagined angels came dressed in this sort of attire.

"You... must be an angel," he said with a smile. He saw a look of confusion pass the girl's face before his mind went blank, and everything became dark.


	2. One

**One**

He awoke to the sound of a loud explosion, surprised that his eardrums didn't burst from the noise. He felt the ground beneath him shaking and he bolted upright.

He lay on a small mat in a covered area of a small deck that seemed to be flying away from a mess of smoke and fire in the distance. Several people stood in his line of vision, all wearing similar leather outfits with various buckles and snaps. They were all high fiving each other and speaking in a language he couldn't understand. All of a sudden one of the people turned around, and he came face to face with the girl whom he could have sworn was an angel.

"_You're awake!_" she squealed in the language he couldn't understand. She rushed over and kneeled down beside him. "Me and the rest of my party were wiring those ruins down there with explosives when I found you! We had already scanned the ruins for any signs of life, but there were none... it's a miracle I found you before we blasted the ruins to bits, you could've been killed!" The girl said, without taking a breath. "How did you get down there? Why were you down there? What's your name? Where are you from?" she asked him quickly. He just blinked, trying to take it all in.

"Uh... I... I can't remember," he said, glancing down at the floor. The girl let out a moan and dropped from her knees to her butt with a very hard _thud_.

"_Rikku, how many times do I have to tell you to quit thumping around the hover like that, you're going to sink it and get us all killed!" _one of the men standing in the group several feet away said with a smirk.

"_Shut up! If anyone's going to get us killed, it's you!_" the girl said with a frown. She crossed her arms and turned back to face him. "You have to remember something! Your name... what you were doing down there... _something_ like that!" He pondered the question for a moment. Why could he not remember anything about himself? Did he have a concusion or amnesia? He looked up at the girl and frowned.

"Who are _you_ anyway?" he said, realizing she hadn't introduced herself either.

"Me? I'm Rikku, fourth in command of the Gullwings, master thief, and your rescuer. So I think you owe me at least a few basic details about yourself," the girl now identified as Rikku smirked, glancing over at him.

"I... uh... I honestly can't remember anything about myself, I'm sorry. Maybe things will come back to me in a few minutes," he said, rubbing his head.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Rikku scoffed, crossing her arms. "Can you at least remember what you were _doing_ down in those ruins?" He thought for a moment, trying to piece together any information he could muster.

"I... I thought I was dead. Or dying. That's all I remember. I don't know how I got there or what I was doing before or where I come from," he said, scratching his head. Rikku looked over him, her gaze sharp.

"Can you remember what your name is?" she asked. He sighed and buried his face in his hands. He tried to remember, but things were all a blurr. He dragged his hands down his face, causing his cheeks to stretch a little. Suddenly his fingers touched something hanging around his neck. He glanced down at the object and was thrown back into a horizontal position as memories slammed him like a freight train.

He was almost rendered unconscious again, but after a few minutes of blurry confusion in which he couldn't decipher his sudden rush of memories from his reality, he returned to normal.

"Hey, you okay?" Rikku asked. She leaned over him, her big blue-green eyes wide with concern.

"My... my name is Tidus. I'm nineteen years old, and I could've sworn that I died," he said awkwardly, the words flying out of his mouth as if someone else was speaking them. He could remember now... his name was Tidus and he was nineteen years old. He chanted it over and over in his head, so he wouldn't forget.

"Well at least you remembered something," Rikku said with a laugh as she sat back on her knees. Tidus sat back up again, and looked down at the object that had flooded his memories. It was a silver chain necklace with an odd shaped pendant in the middle. It seemed normal, but why had touching it caused him to be flooded with memories?

"I'm sorry I can't remember any more," Tidus said, after probing his mind to see if he could remember anything else.

"Eh, it's okay," Rikku said, standing up. "A lot of the people we pick up usually take awhile to regain their memories. I'm just glad you were able to tell me something. Are you able to stand?" She asked, looking down at him. Tidus slowly rose to his feet, and steadied himself.

"Looks like it," he said, running a hand through his hair. Rikku nodded and then turned back to her group and said a few things in the language Tidus couldn't understand before turned back to him.

"Uh... what did you just say?" Tidus asked.

"Oh. That's right, of course you can't speak Al Bhed, most of the people we pick up can't," Rikku murmured. Tidus raised his eyebrows.

"Al Bhed?" he asked.

"Yeah that's what most of the crew is, Al Bhed. Myself included. The language I'm speaking in is Al Bhed. Only a few of the crew members can speak english, and I'm one of them!" Rikku said with a smile.

"Crew? Of what?" Tidus asked.

"The Gullwings of course!" Rikku said with a smile. Noticing Tidus was still confused, Rikku continued. "We're sphere hunters that protect Spira and the likes of innocent people. We take the homeless and the lost aboard our ship and nurse them back to health and help them find their families or get a new start," Rikku said.

"On this little hovercraft?" Tidus said looking around the small space he, Rikku, and the other few people were standing on. Rikku snorted and shook her head.

"Turn around," she said, waving her finger in a circular motion. Tidus slowly turned his head and let his mouth drop. Ahead of him flew an enormous ship that hovered in the sky. It was bright red in color and had flame decals running up the sides. Sparkly neon blue exaust flew from several parts of the airship, and Tidus noticed that the hover was heading for an open part of the ship that seemed to be a landing bay.

"You guys use _that_?" Tidus said, shocked. Rikku nodded proudly as the hover pulled into the landing bay and hit the metal ground inside with a thump. Rikku jumped out of the hover and spread her arms.

"It's our home! Not to mention it has excellent mileage, great weaponry range, and plenty of room," she said. "Need help getting out of the hover?"

"No, I'm alright," Tidus said. He saw there was no door on the hover, so it looked like he'd have to jump over the side railings like Rikku had done. On any other day he would have been able to clear the railing with ease, but since today he had been found in who knows where and he could scarcely remember his own name, all he could do was straddle the railing, and then fall to the floor on the other side, unfortunately hitting his family jewels on the way down.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" Rikku said, rushing to his side. Tidus lay curled in a ball on the floor of the landing bay, moaning for all his worth. Little stars danced in front of his eyes and he thought he was going to pass out all over again. "Here, have this," Rikku said quickly, tossing some strange mist over him. He felt instantly better, and sat up.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Just a potion. It's what we used to bring you back to health in the ruins. I guess the phoenix downs weren't strong enough to wake you," Rikku said, tapping her chin. "Now come on, I've got to show you around," she took his hand and pulled him up to a standing position. Several of Rikku's comrades that were still standing in the landing bay were laughing heartily.

"_Hey Rikku, found another man?"_

_"Did you warn him about your temper!" _Rikku frowned and let go of Tidus hand.

"_Shut up! Need I mention you pigs couldn't find a girl if she hit you right in the face!"_ Rikku said angrily. She turned and stormed out of the landing bay, Tidus hurrying after her.

"Hey! Hey Rikku, what did those guys say just now?" Tidus said, catching up to the fuming girl.

"Nothing. They didn't say anything," she said with a frown. Tidus shrugged and continued after her. "Where are we going?" he asked, after they had passed through several identical passages.

"To the cabin so I can get changed, and so I can start showing you around," she said with a shrug. They walked through the passageways for several more minutes before reaching a lift. Tidus stepped on behind Rikku, and she began to enter a code on the lift's number pad. In a few seconds the lift began to rise, and after a minute or two they were even with another long corridor. "Come on!" Rikku said, hurrying down the hallway, Tidus at her heels. "This alchemist gear is making me itchy!"

The door at the end of the hallway slid open to reveal a large, open, two-story room. On one side was a bar with at least twelve stools. An odd looking creature stood behind serving drinks to the misfit people sitting around the counter. Opposite the bar were several couches and chairs, almost all of which were occupied by more people who didn't seem to look like they belonged on the airship. A staircase led up to the platform above the couches and chairs, and it held at least twenty or thirty beds and a few book cases.

Rikku hadn't even stopped to look around, she just continued to the far wall at the back of the cabin and began to tap out something on a codepad that materialized when she waved her hand. A door appeared and slid open, and Rikku stepped inside, Tidus just barely making it in before the doors slammed shut behind him.

"Where are we now?" He asked, looking around the hallway they had stepped into. It was carpeted and decorated nicely, much different from the hallways they had walked through earlier. Several doors lined the corridor, and each had a name printed on them in neat lettering. Rikku stopped infront of the second to last door in the hallway, and pushed it open. She stomped in and began rummaging around in several drawers that were embedded into the walls.

"Sit down, make yourself at home," Rikku said airily, motioning to a large bean bag in one of the corners. Tidus plopped down in the odd chair, which was surprisingly comfortable. He watched Rikku mutter something in the Al Bhed language and continue to rummage around until she finally let out a delighted shriek. "There it is! Now I can get out of this itchy dressphere," A bright light swirled around Rikku, and Tidus felt his jaw drop when he saw her as the light cleared. At first he thought she was wearing just her undergarments, but when he realized she had made no motion to scream or blush, he figured that it wasn't.

Rikku turned around, and Tidus almost dropped his jaw all over again. She wore the equivalent of a bikini top that was bright yellow in color, and the shortest skirt he had ever seen in his life. The skirt was brown, and held to her body in just the right way. Several pouches dangled on a belt around her waist, and Tidus could see two yellow straps along her waistline that were obviously part of her underwear. White cloth ribbons lined her arms all the way up to her shoulders. Her hair remained the same, and Tidus wondered what had happened to her other outfit.

"Ha... now Shinra can't tell me I can't keep track of a dressphere," Rikku said under her breath. Tidus saw her insert what seemed to be a bright orange sphere shaped item into a small raised box at the foot of her bed. The box hummed for a few moments, and then remained silent. Rikku stretched and collapsed onto her bed. Her head hung off the side, so she was looking Tidus right in the face. "So, would you like the grand tour?" she asked. Tidus nodded slowly, and Rikku hopped off her bed and waved her arms in the air. "Then come on, let's go!" Tidus swallowed, and followed Rikku out of her room and back into the hallway.

"This is the crew quarters. No one except crew is allowed back here, but I made an exception for you," Rikku said with a wink. Tidus blushed and looked down at the floor. "We can't see the rest of the crew's rooms without permission, but I don't think you're missing anything," she said as they walked out of the hallway and back out into the cabin. "This, as you heard me say before, is the cabin. All of our refugees sleep and live here, unless we decide to hire them as a part of the crew. That creature behind the bar is Barkeep, our cook. He was once a refugee too, but when Brother tasted his cooking... he got the job. You'll have to have one of his meals later," Rikku said, as they headed out of the cabin and back down the hallway to the lift.

"Are all the hallways in the airship like this?" Tidus asked, looking around the gray metal corridor.

"Yes, unfortunately. You have to know your way around here without getting lost, because all of these corridors are identical. But they're very easy to clean... just one watera spell and they shine!" Rikku said shrugging. "It was Shinra's design actually, to have these walls be porous. The water cleans and then drains through the walls and floor and out into the air. He says it's giving back to Spira, something about clouds being made of moisture and how porous walls like these will help during a drought," Rikku said as she and Tidus stepped into the lift.

When the doors opened a minute later, Tidus was shocked to see they were inches away from the open air. He was even more shocked when Rikku skipped out into the middle of the large open platform and stretched out her arms. "This is the deck. Sometimes we have parties out here. It's also a really good place to come and think when you want to be alone,"

"But... but why aren't you falling off? This airship must be going really fast," Tidus said.

"Falling off? No way!" Rikku said with a laugh. She walked over to the very edge of the deck and kicked the air. Her foot just bounced back and she turned back to him and shrugged. "There's a barrier, duh. Another one of Shinra's genius ideas," Rikku said. She noticed that Tidus was still cowering inside the lift, and she walked over to him. "Are you scared or something? I promise you can't fall off,"

"I'm not... scared. Let's just keep going with the tour," Tidus said, making sure that he was still safely grounded inside the lift. Rikku shrugged and stepped back inside, tapping another code on the lift's codepad. After another minute the lift doors opened again, and Tidus was relieved to see that this time they were inside the airship.

"This is the engine room," Rikku said, stepping into the large room. Several gears stood pumping up and down, and Tidus was surprised to find that it made no noise. "Down in that small room is where some of our workers feed the engine and make sure all of the gears and pulleys and whatever are working right,"

"Why isn't it loud down here?" Tidus asked. Rikku walked over to a large piston that pumped up and down very rapidly, and tapped her fist against the area around it.

"Sound barriers. Once again, another one of Shinra's brilliant ideas," Rikku said, heading back to the lift. A minute or two later the lift doors opened to reveal another corridor. "Now this next room is the bridge. I don't know why it's called the bridge, but it's where everybody works... analyzing spheres, working on projects, navigations, piloting, or in Brother's case... commanding," Rikku said, as the doors opened, revealing a large open room with about two dozen people at various stations. He and Rikku were at the top of a staircase that led down into the room, and he followed her down.

"_Hey, Brother! I found another refugee!" _Rikku shouted. Tidus scratched his head, wondering what she had said. But before he could ask her, there was a loud clattering noise and a thump. Tidus and Rikku slowly turned around, coming face to face with a burly young man wearing tattered gray overalls with no shirt underneath. He had tattoos covering his chest and arms, and Tidus could've sworn they matched the decals he had seen on the outside of the airship. He had the same color blonde hair as Rikku, and it was styled in a droopy mohawk on his otherwise bald head.

_"Yeah? So?"_ the man said with raised eyebrows. Rikku stomped her feet on the floor.

"_I found him in the ruins we just blew up! He can't remember where he is or where he came from, or even what he was doing down there! Brother, he's different from all the other refugees we've taken in,_" Rikku said, a concerned expression on her face. The man just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

_"Do whatever you want with him, I haven't the time for refugees,"_ the man said, walking forward toward the platform in the room that was a few steps down from the one they were standing on.

_"Oh Brother, you're hopeless,"_ Rikku said shaking her head. The man disappeared from sight down into the next platform, and Rikku turned to Tidus. "That was Brother, in case you were wondering. He's commander of the Gullwings, and unfortunately, my brother," Rikku said shaking her head.

"And his name is Brother?" Tidus said, scratching his head. Rikku nodded.

"Don't ask me why. Come on and meet the rest of the crew. They're not all as weird as Brother," Rikku said, rolling her eyes. She led Tidus down to the next platform that Brother had disappeared to a few seconds earlier. Three spacious pods extended into the open full glass window of the airship. In the one they were closest to sat a young man with dark skin and goggles pulled tightly over his eyes. "This is Buddy. He's second in command, and co-pilot," Rikku said, pointing at the man.

"Hey Rikku," Buddy said with a wave. "Another refugee?" Rikku nodded.

"His name's Tidus, we picked him up in those ruins we just blew up," Rikku said. "He can't remember much but... that's okay. I'm giving him the grand tour," Tidus nodded at Buddy, before continuing behind Rikku down the narrow platform. He saw Brother sitting in the middle pod, his eyes intent on the empty airspace in front of him. They continued to the far pod, and stepped down beside it to see another young man with blonde spiky hair and an eye patch.

"Tidus, this is Gippal, our third-in-command," Rikku said, motioning to the man sitting in the pod.

"Well hey there, Rikku! Couldn't go another hour without saying hi to me, huh?" the man named Gippal said with a wink. Tidus saw Rikku's face tense before she put on a forced smile.

"Yeah, sure. Gippal, meet Tidus. He's the refugee we found down in those ruins," Rikku said airily.

"Nice to meet you," Gippal said, nodding at Tidus. "I was also once a refugee, but since I had no where to go, I joined the Gullwings. Now look at me! Third in command," he said with a smile.

"Right," Rikku said quickly. "We'll see you later," she said in a rush, practically shoving Tidus back up the stairs to the higher platform before Gippal could even say good-bye. Tidus wondered why Rikku had been so eager to get away from Gippal, but his thoughts were swept away as Rikku introduced him to a small human in a dark yellow full-body suit with goggles shielding his eyes and a mesh guard covering his mouth so he could still speak.

"Tidus, this is Shinra, the brains behind the Gullwings," Rikku said, motioning to the small human. At first Tidus thought Shinra was some kind of midget, but when the human spoke, he was surprised to hear a rather high-pitched voice escape from behind the mesh guard.

"So you're the refugee that was down in those ruins. Strage... very strange indeed... I'll have to run some tests on him later," Shinra said, turning to Rikku. She nodded and smiled.

"Wait... are you some sort of midget or something?" Tidus asked in a puzzled voice. Rikku laughed and Shinra scoffed.

"I'm no midget! I'm a kid!" Shinra said indignantly, crossing his arms.

"I guess I forgot to mention that part," Rikku said with a laugh. "Shinra's the brains behind the Gullwings _and_ he's also the youngest member," Tidus looked from Rikku to Shinra and back again.

"Sorry," he managed to choke out. "I just thought... Shinra was some sort of... uhm... adult?" Shinra shook his head and sunk back down into his large swivel chair.

"Bring him back later Rikku, I've got work to do now," Shinra said, tapping at the keyboard infront of him.

"Right. See ya Shinra," Rikku said, leading Tidus away from Shinra's station over to the foot of the the stairs leading back up to the lift. "I think that's about all of the crew that's really important," Rikku said, tapping her chin.

"Are you sure?" A cool voice said from above. Before Rikku and Tidus could turn around, a woman jumped infront of them. She had short silver hair and piercing reddish eyes. She wore a rugged looking black leather outfit with buckles and spikes.

"Oh! I almost forgot! This is Paine, another one of the Gullwings. Paine, this is Tidus. He's the refugee we picked up in those ruins," Rikku said. Paine politely nodded towards Tidus.

"Have you introduced him to her yet?" Paine said in a rather hushed voice, directed towards Rikku.

"Oh... no I haven't! I knew I was missing something. Thanks for the reminder. Where is she?" Rikku whispered quietly back to Paine.

"She's coming down here on the lift. You better hurry," Paine whispered quietly. She looked up and faced Tidus once more. "Nice to meet you," Paine said before hurrying off to a different part of the bridge. Before Tidus could speak, Rikku took his hand and half-dragged him up the stairs.

"Come on, let's go! You must be hungry! Barkeep will fix you up something really great, you'll see," Rikku said as she led him out of the bridge and down the corridor to the lift. But before they could get to it, the lift doors opened, revealing a young woman about Tidus' age.

She had shoulder-length brown hair, and was wearing a layered open white tank top with a pink hood attatched, dark blue shorts, and half of a three-tiered blue and white skirt. In the area of her tank top that revealed part of her chest was a carved symbol that looked somewhat familiar to Tidus. But the thing that was most unusual about her was her eyes - the right one a deep shade of green and the left one a piercing shade of blue. A content look stayed on her face as she stepped off the lift.

"Hi Rikku," she said smiling.

"Hey!" Rikku said, stepping over to the girl and touching her shoulder. "I'd like you to meet someone! Yuna, this is Tidus. He's the refugee we picked up in the ruins this morning. Tidus, this is Yuna, another member of the Gullwings as well as my cousin," Rikku said. Tidus looked up from the floor, and he and Yuna's eyes met.

Emotions hit him all at once again, just like they had when he had looked at his necklace that morning on the hover. It felt like he knew Yuna, although he had never spoken to her in his whole life. It was a rush of colors and feelings, and after a few seconds Tidus shook himself out of it.

"Hi!" Tidus said, putting on his best smile. Yuna looked over him and she smiled back.

"Hello," Yuna said. And with that, the rush of feeling was gone. "Paine and I are going over the mission plans in a little bit. We'll buzz you down to the bridge when we need you,"

"Right," Rikku said nodding.

"It was nice to meet you," Yuna said, smiling at Tidus once more before continuing down the hall to the bridge.

"Okay, we're off to get you some food!" Rikku said, walking ahead of Tidus into the lift. He stepped in after her, and turned so he was facing outwards. As the doors began to close, he was surprised to see Yuna looking back at him, her multicolored eyes staring into him. Their eyes locked in a gaze that seemed to last forever, only to be shattered moments later when the lift doors slammed shut.

**A/N: Hey thanks for reading! Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging with my "big plans" this time, I assure you all I've actually GOT a plan in document form on my computer! I'd post it to prove it, but then it would spoil all the surprises I have in store :D Tikku and Tuna fans… trust me, you will all enjoy this fic… it's not quite a love triangle, just hang in there and you'll see… :D Please read and review, I appreciate the feedback! Chapter two is on the way!**


	3. Two

**Two**

"Wow! That was delicious!" Tidus said, leaning back in the barstool chair and stretching.

"Told you Barkeep can cook," Rikku said, giving the Hypello a wink. "I would show you to your bed now, but we're about to land the airship,"

"Land? Where are we?" Tidus asked, looking up to the skylight windows in the room, although it didn't matter; he had no idea where they were regardless.

"We're landing on Besaid Island. You kind of caught us at a good time. We've made a full circuit of rescuing refugees from around Spira, so now we're taking a break! We have good friends here on Besaid Island, and it's where Yuna is from. So we're just going to catch up with them, drop off some refugees, and then head to Luca for more fun," Rikku said excitedly, a smile pulling at her lips.

"Oh… kay… sounds fun? When will we ar…" The airship's sudden violent shaking interrupted Tidus' tentative tone, and he tumbled from the bar stool with a yelp. Rikku laughed at the clumsy boy, holding onto the bar with one hand and leaning down to help him up.

"We're arriving now," she said with a laugh, and helped him to his feet.

* * *

The water the airship perched atop was a brilliant sparkling azure, and the sky above matched with only few fluffy clouds in sight. Tidus followed Rikku through the warm, shallow water to the shore, where Brother, Gippal, Paine, Yuna, and a handful of refugees stood conversing with a few men in worn golden yellow uniforms.

"_Come on Rikku, you're holding us up!" _Brother called upon seeing his blond sister approach. Rikku rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically.

"Come on Tidus," she said with a smile, grabbing his hand and accelerating toward the group. Tidus felt himself blush as Rikku laced her fingers through his, and it was a small miracle that he didn't trip and fall face first on the sand.

"Glad you could finally join us," Gippal murmured to Tidus and Rikku, eyeing their hands. Tidus nodded and smiled at him obliviously, to which Rikku held back a giggle. Gippal's face morphed to an obvious scowl, but before he could say anything the group began to move.

"Wakka's waiting for you! And so is the rest of the village, they've missed you so much," one of the men in uniform said, addressing Yuna, and then a few of the refugees.

"I can't wait to see him," Yuna said with a smile, clapping her hands together, while the refugees cheered in excitement about seeing their family and friends once again.

Tidus eyed the short haired girl as she and the refugees sped off eagerly down the path into the jungle. Something about her demeanor made him pause. He felt like he was familiar with her particular enthusiasm. The sparkle in her eye and the gentle determination of her voice struck him, and he could not understand why. Suddenly, he was pulled from his thoughts by a tugging at his hand.

"Come on cutie, do you _want_ to fall behind the group?" Rikku said, looking up at him and batting her eyelashes. Her bright green eyes spun Tidus' mind in a completely different direction, and before he could work out what Rikku was implying, she gripped his hand tightly and began to run toward the forest path, giving Tidus no choice but to follow.

* * *

After at least half an hour of meandering through the tropical island forest, Tidus saw a clearing up ahead in the shadow of the trees. The group broke through it one by one, he and Rikku being the last to reach the sunlight once again. He shielded his eyes and saw a large dirt hill about fifty feet ahead, a good majority of the group almost to the top. He sighed, and noticed Rikku grinning at him.

"Let's have a race!" she said mischievously.

"A race?" Tidus sighed again. "I'm a little tir…"

"If you beat me I'll give you a kiss," Rikku said flirtatiously, stepping closer to the blond haired boy. He inhaled sharply; surprised that she was so relaxed about being this close to him. They had only met earlier that day, and even though he was grateful for her rescuing him, he didn't understand what Rikku could possibly see in him… he barely even knew himself! "Or are you not interested in a kiss?" Rikku said playfully, pouting her lips and widening her eyes, snapping Tidus out of his thoughts.

"No… I mean… I am interested…" Tidus fumbled for his words, not quite knowing how to respond.

"Great! Let's GO!" Rikku cheered excitedly, jumping away from him and racing toward the large hill. Tidus shook his head and chased after her, leaving his thoughts completely scattered for the moment.

Whatever Tidus had done before he had been rescued, it had put him in good health. He blitzed past Rikku as they approached the base of the hill, and managed to scale it a good fifteen seconds before Rikku reached the top.

"Now, what was that about kissing me if I won?" Tidus asked playfully, stretching his arms behind his head. Rikku smirked and pushed his chest gently.

"Who says you won? Maybe I _let_ you win," she said, raising an eyebrow. The two stared into each other's eyes, considering who should make the first move. They slowly inched closer together, their lips nearly touching, when suddenly the ground shook and a piercing roar split the serene silence. The two teens were thrown apart onto the ground, and a small shower of dust and dirt clouded the air.

Tidus rubbed his eyes free of dirt, and opened them just in time to see a large, angry looking green lizard barreling toward him. He yelped and rolled out of the way, the creature snapping its jaws and screeching. Tidus searched for Rikku as the dust settled, not sure where she was and not sure what he should do. He searched around in vain for some sort of blunt object he could throw at the lizard, when suddenly the creature's beady eyes fixed on him. With another screech, it charged toward him, and Tidus could do nothing but back up on his behind through the dirt, bracing himself for the worst.

"YAAAAAAA!" a high-pitched girly voice screamed, followed by the sound of the creature's pitiful screeching. Tidus looked up to see Rikku balancing on the lizard's sloping back, two blades held in each of her hands stabbing the creature through it's back and neck. "We need to get you a weapon," she said with a smile, as the lizard began to fade into soft spheres of blue, white, and green light.

"A… weapon?" Tidus gulped, still in surprise about the events that had just transpired.

"Yeah," Rikku said, stepping toward him and kneeling down. She eyed his dusty clothes and then his arms. The blades in her hands seemingly disappeared, and she reached out to feel his biceps. "You look like you used to know a thing or two about fighting," she said smiling at him, her bangs falling into her face. Tidus blushed, and would have responded had he not been interrupted by Brother running toward them, frantically screaming in Al Bhed.

Tidus figured Rikku and Brother's conversation consisted of Brother's worry for Rikku's safety, and her reassuring him that she was okay and had handled the situation. Tidus stood up, approaching their animated discussion.

"Hey… hey… I'm okay, I'm okay!" He said, jokily trying to edge his way into the conversation. Rikku looked over at him and smiled, suddenly jumping up and throwing her arms around him.

"Of course you are! That's the second time I've saved you! At this rate, you're really going to owe me," Rikku said, leaning back and grinning playfully at him. Tidus froze, transfixed by the girl's smile and her arms and legs wrapped around his body. His moment was interrupted yet again, this time by more of Brother's shouting in Al Bhed. Rikku shouted something back at him over her shoulder and jumped down from Tidus's arms.

"Come on," she said, looking back at him. "We're almost there! No more lizard attacks, I promise!" she held her hand out to Tidus, and the two continued onward.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Ta-da! Brand new chapter! After five years' hiatus! Did you like it? Let me know! :P It's not especially long or action-packed, but I wanted to get it out here so everyone will believe me when I say I'm back! :P Please read and review! Much appreciated! Stay tuned for the next chapter, it will be longer and hopefully more exciting! :O Thank you everyone!


	4. Three

**Three**

The reunion was chaotic.

Tidus stood back as refugees and villagers alike collided in hugs and kisses with excited screams and almost indiscernible words. Rikku, Brother, Gippal, and Paine stood next to him, surveying the scene.

"Job well done, again," Gippal said triumphantly. Paine nodded silently in agreement before following Yuna, who seemed to be searching the chaotic crowd.

_"Yuna, be careful! I don't want you to get trampled!" _Brother called, running after her. Tidus looked to Rikku to translate, but she just shook her head.

"My brother has the hots for Yunie. It's never going to work out!" Rikku said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh... why?" Tidus asked curiously.

"Because she's in love with someone else," Gippal said, stepping into the conversation. He eyed Tidus harshly, and then looked at Rikku, his eyebrows raised. She glanced back at him and rolled her eyes once more.

"Some things just aren't meant to be," Rikku said exasperatedly. "Come on, let's go," she said, grabbing Tidus' hand and pulling him into the crowd.

* * *

"I've missed you both so much!" Yuna squealed, her back to Tidus and Rikku as they approached a group hug.

"We've missed you too," a cool female voice responded.

"It's been too long," a male voice with an island drawl added. Yuna stepped back from the hug and turned to face Tidus, Rikku, Brother, Paine, and the disgruntled Gippal.

"You remember my friends, right?" Yuna asked the man and woman, motioning to the Gullwings. They all smiled back, each giving their own little nod or pose.

"Of course, nice to see you all again," the woman nodded.

"Don't remember you though bruddah, what's your name?" the man directed toward Tidus.

"Me? I'm Tidus," he said, meeting the gaze of the man, and looking over to the woman and nodding.

"Nice to meet ya man, I'm Wakka,"

"And I'm Lulu," the woman said, as the man named Wakka stepped forward to Tidus and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. Tidus suddenly felt all the air rush out of him. His vision clouded over as another intense, lucid feeling of deja vu hit him. He saw flashes of light, and then heard a muffled echo of Wakka's voice. Where had he met this man before? And the woman Lulu seemed familiar too, and so did the island, the very ground beneath his feet...

*SLAP*

Tidus' eyes snapped open, and after a few seconds he realized he was looking up into the faces of the Gullwings, Wakka, and Lulu.

"Have we met before?" Tidus immediately asked Wakka and Lulu. They looked at each other, while the rest of the group looked to each other in confusion.

"No... I don't think so..." Wakka said, rubbing the back of his head.

"I'm afraid not," Lulu agreed. "Are you quite alright?" she asked, motioning down at him.

"Yeah, sorry about that bruddah, I guess I don't know my own strength," Wakka said with a laugh. The group backed up, and Rikku knelt down next to Tidus.

"You okay?" she asked, pulling Tidus' face toward her. He looked into her green eyes and nodded, aware of her small, soft hands on his rough face. "Good. You sure are a weird one," she said, helping him up.

"Is everything alright?" Yuna asked, turning to meet Tidus with her multicolored eyes. Once again, he was rendered unable to answer, so he just nodded. "Good! Must be this island sun, you're probably just not used to it," she said with a laugh, before turning back to talk with her friends.

"Island sun?" Gippal scoffed, smirking at Tidus. He shrugged, not really sure how to respond. Rikku frowned at Gippal and then turned to face Tidus again.

"Ignore him. You'll come to find he's... kind of... a... bully!" Rikku said, the last word seeming to just come to her. "Yeah, so just... you know... stay away from him! He's no fun at all," she said, dusting Tidus' clothes off. Before he could think of something to say, everybody turned to look at him once again.

"Hey bruddah, sorry about that again," Wakka apologized. "I have to go fishing inland at the river, would you like to come with me? It'll be shady, so no worries!" he said to Tidus.

"Oh... uh... sure, that sounds great," Tidus said, looking uncertainly at Rikku who gave him a nod of reassurance.

"Alright, let's get going!" Wakka said excitedly, going to pat Tidus' shoulder again, but stopping his hand in mid-air and retracting it to scratch the back of his head with a nervous laugh before nudging his head in the direction they were to go.

* * *

Tidus, Brother, and Gippal followed Wakka through the jungle shade, carrying various fishing poles and equipment. Gippal chatted with Wakka, and Brother followed in silence. Tidus was uncertain of how he could possibly strike up a conversation with somebody who spoke a different language. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure how he himself was able to speak at all.

For at least the hundredth time that day, Tidus tried to remember his past. Yuna, Wakka, and Lulu... he could have sworn that he had met them before. And Besaid Island seemed to be a familiar place now. As they headed off toward the jungle after visiting a few huts to gather supplies, Tidus was sure that he had been here before, maybe even done this before. He looked down at the equipment box he carried in his hand. No flashes of light or deja vu hit him, and he sighed.

"Alright, here we are!" Wakka said, setting his gear down a few feet ahead at the bank of a rushing, sparkling river. "You boys know what to do," he said with a nod. "Oh, except for you bruddah," Wakka said, rushing over to Tidus. He took the gear out of his hands and set it down. "I'll show you what to do," he said with a smile.

Wakka was a good teacher, promptly showing Tidus how to bait the hook, cast into the river, and feel the tug of the fish if it bit.

"Just like that," Wakka said with a grin, holding up the fish he had managed to catch in about five minutes. "Now you give it a try," he said smiling, passing Tidus the pole. Tidus took it reluctantly, surprised that he didn't spiral into another bout of deja vu. He wasn't exactly looking forward to passing out again in front of people, especially if it meant he would just get seemingly false clues about his past.

Tidus stood at the riverbank, lost in thought. His mind wound this way and that, until finally he was thinking in complete circles, unable to make heads or tales of the day's events. Every now and then he'd think of Rikku, his blond rescuer who he had initially mistaken for an angel. Why _had_ he mistaken her for an angel? Surely it couldn't have been solely because of her beauty. But he hadn't recalled any familiar feelings around her; no flashes of light or muffled, echoing voices. As close as they had been at various in the points during the day, surely some shadowy memory would have surfaced. He strained to think, trying in vain to remember if he knew Rikku from somewhere. Instead, Yuna popped into his head. Her short brown hair and mismatched eyes, her kind demeanor and gentle determination. It only felt right for him to reach out and...

"BRUDDAH! LOOK OUT!" Wakka's shouting pulled Tidus out of his daydream, just in time for him to see a very large angry looking one-eyed bat-like flying monster careening toward him. He dropped his fishing pole and dove forward into the river, submerging himself into the current just as the the creature's talons skimmed the water a few inches above him. He let the water carry him until the shock of being attacked for the second time that day wore off, and then bobbed up to the surface to take a breath of air.

He had gone at least 30 yards down river, and he saw that there were actually three of these bizarre creatures engaging in battle with Wakka, Brother, and Gippal. Tidus edged over to land, fighting the current, and managed to pull himself out in a few seconds. Soaking wet, he rushed back to the fight. Wakka seemed to be throwing a flaming ball at one of the creatures, while Brother and Gippal each mixed and threw some sort of explosive concoction at the remaining creatures. Tidus stopped about 10 yards away, realizing he had no way of helping. He looked around the shore to find a rock he could lob that would be large enough to do some damage, but no luck. Before he could decide his next move, there was a triumphant cheer from the men, and Tidus watched each of the monsters dissolve into fuzzy orbs of light.

"Hey bruddah, it's safe to come back now," Wakka called with a laugh. Tidus jogged over to the men who were high-fiving and laughing.

"Thanks for the help, not that we needed it," Gippal said with a smirk.

_"I don't think this kid knows how to fight,"_ Brother said to Gippal, shaking his head and laughing. Gippal chuckled and responded something in Al Bhed.

"Hey, go easy on the kid, it's not like he has a weapon," Wakka said, motioning to the soaking wet Tidus. Gippal and Brother paused before erupting into more peels of laughter. Tidus sighed. At least Rikku wasn't there to see him fail once again. Or Yuna... "Hey, I've got just the thing for you bruddah," Wakka said to Tidus. "Ignore them, and come with me," Wakka said with a smile, as he turned to leave the laughing Gullwings where they were. "Don't worry about them. Now they have to carry dinner home," Wakka said to Tidus with a smirk, as the two headed back to the village.

* * *

"Wait here, I'll be right back," Wakka said to Tidus once they arrived in the village. The chaos of the reunion had died down, and there were only a few people to be seen meandering around the area. Wakka returned promptly with Lulu at his side, and a sparkling azure sword in his hand. "Something I want to give you," he said with a smile, holding out the sword for Tidus to take.

"Whoa! You're giving this... to me?" Tidus said, taking the sword. For the fourth time that day, Tidus was floored with a rush of memories. Words, faces, places... and this sword. Wakka had already given him this sword. This had already happened before. Tidus gulped for air and looked up at Wakka, trying to see through the flood of memories, trying not to pass out again.

"Yeah, use it well," Wakka's voice said, first muffled, and then echoed a second later in his normal tone. Tidus gripped the sword, trying to regain his composure and balance. He blinked, trying to concentrate, trying to focus on the reality at hand. He pushed away the fuzzy memories that had clouded his mind and vision, until finally he could think straight. Wakka and Lulu stared at him, eyebrows raised. Tidus grinned nervously, and swung the sword around, slicing this way and that through the air.

"Thanks," he said smiling.

"Don't mention it," Wakka said. "You're a natural, I knew it,"

"Hey, where did you get that!" a familiar female voice called. Tidus turned around to see Rikku running toward him, followed closely by Yuna and Paine.

"Oh... uh... Wakka just gave it to me," Tidus said.

"We got attacked again while we were fishing, but he's got nothing to fight with! So, why not help a bruddah out?" Wakka said with a laugh. Tidus looked down at the sword in his hands as chatter ensued around him. He turned it over, admiring the way the light caught the different shades of blue. The handle wasn't worn down, but Tidus could have sworn that this sword used to belong to somebody... Obviously it had to have been Wakka's sword, right?

"Hey, Wakka, this is your sword right? Won't you need it?" Tidus asked, prompting for the explanation he anticipated.

"Oh, no way bruddah. I've got quite a few swords, but I never use 'em. I just hit all those vermin with my blitzball. Helps me practice my aim," Wakka said, pretending to aim and throw an imaginary ball.

"Oh... ok... well, thanks again," Tidus said with a nod. It was not the answer he was expecting, but how could he even be expecting an answer at all? He hadn't anticipated receiving this sword, so how could he expect this scenario to unfold differently? His thoughts were a jumbled mess. He couldn't tell his reality from his foggy, muffled memories.

_"Thanks for helping with the fish,"_ Brother's voice called sarcastically. The group turned to see Brother and Gippal approaching, laden with fishing poles, gear, and two bulging sacks brimming with fish.

"Excellent, dinner is here! Who wants to help me cook?" Lulu said with a grin, casting a fire spell into the pit at the center of the village. Tidus looked up into the sky and realized that the sun had started to set. He looked back over at everyone else, as they helped take the equipment and fish off Brother and Gippal's hands. Villagers peeked out of their huts, eagerly eying the day's catch.

"Come on Tidus, put away your new toy and come cook some grub," Rikku said playfully, appearing at his side, slipping her hand into his. He nodded, and glanced back up at the darkening sky. He had the feeling that his day wasn't over just yet...

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone, thanks for reading! I debated whether or not to make this chapter longer, but it felt right to end it here. Please let me know if you like this length of chapter, or would prefer them to be longer! In the next chapter expect some Tidus and Yuna conversation, and some Tidus and Rikku... encounters :P Please R&R, let me know what you think! Thanks everyone, stay tuned!


	5. Four

**Four**

Tidus helped himself to a third plate of food. Somehow a dinner of fresh fish had turned into a village-wide feast, and more dishes were added as various people joined the buzzing group around the large fire. It was dark now, and Tidus stood munching away, transfixed by the flames. He debated whether or not he should try to be social, but he couldn't picture "Hi, I'm Tidus, I can't remember anything about my life, so let's just talk about you!" being a very good conversation starter. He sighed, and took a seat on a nearby log next to Paine, who seemed just as transfixed by the flames as he was. She didn't strike him as an especially social person, so he figured it would be safe to sit by her. Hopefully she wouldn't probe him with any questions or...

"So, remember anything yet?" she said coolly, a mocking edge to her tone.

"Uh... not really," Tidus said, grimacing at his previous thoughts. He was starting to think some of the Gullwings regarded him as some sort of a joke. Maybe it was because he wasn't remembering his past fast enough or maybe it had something to do with...

"Rikku sure knows how to pick them," Paine murmured under her breath, stifling a laugh. Tidus nearly choked down the food in his mouth.

"Ok, what do you mean by pick? She _found_ me, she didn't pick me," Tidus said defensively.

"Oh, she found you alright," Paine said, her laughter escalating.

"What's so funny? Is this all some sort of a joke? Are you all just playing a big trick on me? I really don't remember my past," Tidus said, Paine's laughter growing with each of his assertions.

"No kid, it's no trick," Paine said, Tidus raising his eyebrows at her use of the word "kid". She didn't look any older than himself, so who was she calling "kid"? "I don't know how much Rikku has told you about herself, or her past, so let me fill you in,"

"Uh... okay..." Tidus said, surprised and intrigued by Paine's words.

"The war began about ten years ago. Everything was nice and neat in Spira until somebody began killing the leaders of every major city. It was a mystery at first, and because there was no leadership people began attacking each other out of anger and assumptions. After a year of this, different groups had formed. Some fought city against city, and some fought against each other within their own city. With all the chaos and destruction, many places were completely wiped out. Nobody was strong enough to take a leadership position against the strongest groups, so those who were sick of all the fighting tried to find a way to assassinate those at the head of the different groups. Kind of ironic, huh?" Paine explained.

"Yeah, but what does all of the fighting have to do with Rikku? Surely she wasn't old enough for battle," Tidus said, gauging his rescuer to be at least a year or so younger than himself.

"Rikku's family was assassinated, so she stowed away on Brother's ship when she was twelve to help the fight in any way she could. Originally, the Gullwings were part of a vigilante alliance bent on destroying a particular group from the city of Bevelle, the group that had murdered Rikku and Brother's family," Paine continued.

"Let me get this straight," Tidus interrupted. "Somebody murdered the leaders of the cities, and instead of figuring things out, everybody just started fighting?" Paine nodded. "And then, the fighting became so violent that there needed to be vigilante groups that took out the most violent people so the fighting would cease?" Paine nodded again, looking slightly annoyed. "So then... why were they fighting at all? I mean, nobody bothered to find out who really killed the leaders? They all just killed each other and started a war?"

"Yes, essentially. With no leaders, it allowed corrupt people to rise to power and struggle for land and power over all of Spira. With the ensuing war, nobody had the resources to try and investigate who really killed the leaders. It's been speculated that those who came to power throughout Spira during the first year of the war had all been part of a group that wanted to take over the world, but their plan backfired when they couldn't agree on anything, and thus the war escalated, going on for years," Paine said, clenching her fist.

"So... how did it end?" Tidus asked. Paine stared at him like he was joking. "I mean... it doesn't seem like there's a war going on now," Tidus continued, motioning to their calm island surroundings. "So who finished the fight?"

"You really _don't_ remember anything, do you?" Paine said, somewhat aghast. Tidus raised an eyebrow and nodded. "_He_ ended the war," Paine said after a pause. She remained silent, staring contemplatively into the flames. A few minutes passed. Tidus cleared his throat.

"Sorry. Uh... _he_? Who is _he_?" Tidus asked, emphasizing "he" the way Paine had. She turned and glared at him once more.

"He was our friend, fellow fighter, and the savior of the world. He defeated each of the corrupt leaders, allowing our world to return to peace after eight terrible years," Paine said emotionally, the scars of the war showing in her usually placid voice. There was another long pause before Tidus got up the nerve to keep questioning.

"So... where is he?" Tidus asked simply, assuming the guy to be overlord of Spira, or something along those lines.

"He's gone," Paine said simply, sadness crossing her face.

"Gone?" Tidus echoed in surprised.

"Yes. Gone," Paine retorted sharply. "He disappeared after the battle. After he said goodbye to Yuna, he just... disappeared," There was another pause, before Tidus realized what Paine had just said.

"Wait, Yuna? Why would he be saying goodbye to Yuna?" Tidus asked. She looked at him and raised her eyebrows.

"Because they were in love," she responded.

"In... love?" Tidus echoed, shocked. Paine scoffed at the expression on Tidus' face.

"Oh, did somebody have a crush? Don't even think about it kid, that girl's love life is too screwed up for anyone new. And on top of that, her life is far too busy for someone to just start interfering with, especially someone like you," Paine said aggressively.

"Woah, hey! What do you mean, someone like me? And I don't have a crush!" Tidus stated defensively. Paine just laughed.

"Okay kid, whatever you say. Just stick to Rikku and you'll be just fine... for awhile, anyway," she murmured the last bit under her breath, and Tidus struggled with trying to find an immediate subject change.

"So... the Gullwings rescue refugees from the war? Like, people displaced from their homes and families?" Tidus asked eagerly, hastily managing to change the topic of conversation.

"Duh. What do you think a refugee is?" Paine said, rolling her eyes. "Bumbling idiots like you who can't remember anything," she chuckled and stood up. "Thanks for the conversation, but I'm done giving history lessons for today," Paine stretched, and then tossed her dinner scraps into the fire before turning back to face Tidus. "Good night. Be sure to get some rest. We've got an early start tomorrow, and Rikku will probably be the only one who remembers to wake you up!" Paine said with a smirk, before turning and heading off toward the rows of huts.

Tidus sighed, not sure what to make of the discussion he had just had. It had only made him even more confused! There had been a war raging for years, but he couldn't recall anything relevant to war. All he could remember were glimpses of Yuna, Wakka, Lulu, Besaid Island, and the sword he now carried with him. Feelings and images, none of which were congruent with the story he had just been told. He wondered if somebody had wiped his memory. Maybe he had been some sort of a spy, and after gathering information his memory was wiped for his own safety. But... for some reason... his _entire _memory was now gone. Tidus griped his head and shook it in frustration.

"Am I interrupting something," a gentle voice questioned. Tidus looked up to see Yuna standing next to him, a smile playing at her lips.

"No! I'm just... uh... finishing dinner?" Tidus said, fumbling with his dinner plate and stuffing a piece of fish into his mouth. Yuna laughed and took Paine's vacated seat next to him.

"It's okay, you can tell me what's really going on," Yuna said forcefully, but her gentle tone made Tidus actually want to tell her everything. He opened his mouth to begin, but then he realized that he'd just wind up sounding like an idiot. Instead, he put another bite of food in his mouth.

"Good dinner, right?" he said in between bites. Yuna stifled a laugh, and put her hand on his leg. Tidus almost choked on his food as the memories flooded him again. Yuna's face, illuminated by the firelight, faded away as a different silhouette of her figure floated into his vision. Her smile, her eyes, her demeanor... it was all the same. Tidus began to struggle with which picture was reality. Could it be possible that they were both reality? Yuna stood on a whirling wave of water. Light swirled around her as she danced, twirling a staff around in time with her movement. The wave grew higher and higher as more lights began to surround her. It was such a beautiful sight, and Tidus immediately felt protective. He would guard this girl with all that he had, he wouldn't let harm befall her, he wouldn't let anyone touch her, except for maybe...

"Tidus! Hey! You okay?" Yuna's voice snapped him out of his latest flush of memories.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," he said with a smile, realizing it had happened again.

"Oh... okay, good. Because you kind of spaced out there for a minute," Yuna said, her hands now resting in her lap. Tidus looked over them thoroughly, before he looked up to meet the girl's penetrating gaze.

"Sorry! I guess I've been doing that a lot lately," Tidus said, shoveling more food into his mouth so things didn't get awkward.

"It must be difficult," Yuna began hesitantly. "Not remembering anything or anyone. I couldn't bear it, my memories are some of the most important things I have," Yuna clenched her fist, her voice wavering. "I'd be lost without them,"

"Then you can imagine how I feel," Tidus laughed. Yuna smiled back at him.

"I'm sorry, I'm being tactless. How rude of me!" she said. "Let me start over, please?" Yuna apologized. Tidus grinned, surprised at the contrast of Yuna's kindness to Paine's blunt demeanor. "Ask me any question you want, absolutely anything," she said with a wink. Tidus wasn't sure what to make of her words, his mind being thrown for a loop for easily the hundredth time that day. He gazed at Yuna, her kind smile lighting up her porcelain face, her eyes sparkling in the firelight. Paine's words from earlier drifted into his mind. _"Because they were in love," _Tidus wondered if asking Yuna about _him_ was over stepping his bounds, but he was so curious! And Yuna had just invited him to ask her absolutely anything...

"Are you in love?" Tidus asked. Surprise crossed Yuna's features before a soft smile crossed her lips.

"Yes. I am very much in love. But... I'm afraid I'll never see him again," Yuna said sadly.

"Him? Who is he? Where did he go?" Tidus asked, gently probing for more information. Yuna gave him a sad smile.

"He used his strength to save Spira and stop the war without killing any more innocents," Yuna explained proudly. "But after the battle, he told me he had to leave. He told me... to live a happy and fulfilling life. He told me not to worry. He told me to just keep going..." Yuna paused, her voice quavering.

"So, you have no idea where he went?" Tidus asked slowly, not wanting Yuna to cry. She looked up at him, that familiar look of gentle determination in her eyes.

"No, I have no idea," she sighed. "I've stayed with the Gullwings instead of settling down here in Besaid because all along I've been hoping to find him. And, during his time in the war, I too became somewhat of a public figure. I don't want the masses swarming Besaid only for me. So, I travel to meet with people, to let them know that everything is truly okay now. I speak and sing and promote a peaceful future," Yuna explained.

"I'm sure you're great," Tidus said, a dumbstruck smile crossing his face as he gazed at her. Yuna smiled and began to blush when she realized Tidus wasn't looking away.

"Oh... thank you. Thanks," she said with a nervous chuckle, Tidus realizing that he was gawking. "I uh... I'm performing in Luca and meeting with the current leader of Spira. We're leaving in the morning so... so we should probably both go get some rest," Yuna said standing up with a nervous laugh. Tidus stood up a second after her, not wanting their conversation to get anymore awkward.

"Oh yeah, definitely. Sure thing! Well... great talking to you Yuna," he said, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"You too Tidus. I'll see you soon," she said with a smile and a nod before turning toward the huts.

"Yep! See you soon!" Tidus called awkwardly, waving his hand in the air and then dropping it when he realized Yuna couldn't see him waving with her back turned. "Oh boy..." he muttered under his breath. "That was embarrassing," he shook his head and turned to walk toward the huts in the opposite direction, his only about twenty yards away. He pushed back the aqua colored canvas to reveal a small, dimly lit area. His eyes surveyed the room; table, chairs, dresser, bed, Rikku...

"Hey cutie, thought you'd never come to bed!" Rikku said, jumping up from the bed and stepping over to him. Tidus' mouth dropped. Rikku put her finger to his lip and smirked. "Don't say a word hot stuff, I can do all the talking," she grabbed his shirt with her other hand and pulled him over to the bed. "Or," she began, letting go of his shirt. "We don't have to talk at all," she smiled, reaching up and weaving her fingers gently into his blond hair. Their eyes locked, and Tidus suddenly found it difficult to breathe. Their lips inched closer and closer until they finally touched in an explosive kiss. Tidus wrapped his arms around Rikku's waist, and she gently pushed him onto the bed. She straddled his stomach, her hands cradling his head, kissing him passionately. Overwhelmed, he held on to her tiny waist as she kissed him deeper. After a minute, she sat up, allowing Tidus to wriggle into a half-sitting position. Rikku smiled at him, somehow managing to half-melt his heart.

"I uh... didn't know you felt that way about me?" Tidus said nervously, still kind of breathless. Rikku laughed, and leaned down to kiss him again.

"You're funny," she said, continuing the kiss. For once, Tidus was no longer confused. He let his mind overflow with sensations; touching, smelling, hearing, seeing, tasting. He didn't need to remember a thing, all he needed to do was live in the present.

And he really, really liked the present.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hey, thanks for reading! I hope all of the back-story made sense. I've got a few more surprises planned, one coming in the next chapter ;P Please review! I would really appreciate your thoughts and feedback : ) Stay tuned for chapter five!


	6. Five

**Five**

Tidus awoke to spots of warm sunlight shining on his face. He rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the light of the room, focusing on the woven hut roof. He yawned and rolled over, feeling the fabric next to him. It was warm beneath his hand, and he sat straight up as the memories from the previous night rushed back to him.

It hadn't been a dream. The kissing, the touching... it had all happened. But where was...

"Rise and shine sleepyhead! We've got to go!" Rikku's voice called as she threw aside the fabric blocking the entrance to the hut. She eyed Tidus' bare chest, and he jumped out of bed, pulling the covers along to cover his lower half.

"Rikku... last night was..." Tidus began, but couldn't find the words to explain the way he felt about the previous evening's encounter.

"Last night? What happened last night?" Rikku asked, confusion crossing her features. The smile disappeared from Tidus' face. Had it all been a dream after all? Was he mixing up his memories and reality? He could have sworn...

Rikku stepped forward, pressing her lips against Tidus' half-agape mouth. Surprised, he kissed her back, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her closer to him. After a moment, she stepped back, breaking off the kiss. She looked up into Tidus' eyes, a smile playing at her lips.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said sweetly with a wink, before turning toward the entrance. "Come on hot stuff, we are LEAVING!" she called over her shoulder before disappearing into the sunlight. Tidus stood rooted to the spot for a moment, the smile returning to his face. He had the feeling that it was going to be another interesting day.

* * *

Several hours later, Tidus sat watching from the cabin window as the Gullwings' airship landed in Luca. Rikku was preoccupied with helping gather the refugees who were going to deport in Luca, so Tidus had had some time to himself. Not that he had a lot to think about; he had decided to stop thinking in circles about the memories of his missing past, and instead just think about Rikku.

The scent of her hair falling in his face, the way she looked at him, the way she kissed him, the way her clothes barely covered her, and the way they came off so easily...

"Hey Tidus!" Yuna's gentle voice interrupted Tidus' train of thought, and he looked up at her blushing, thinking for a brief second that Yuna knew what he was thinking about.

"Hey, Yuna, hey! How's your day going!" Tidus said, subtly adjusting his baggy pants as he stood up.

"It's going well, thank you for asking. Although, just between you and me I'm kind of nervous!" she said in a hushed voice.

"Nervous?" Tidus questioned, as the two began to walk down the stairs, meandering toward the airship exit.

"Yes! The concert is tonight. I've sang before crowds before, but for some reason I'm just a little," she paused, making a motion with her fingers in front of her stomach. "Nervous! I've got... butterflies," she said reluctantly. Tidus smiled at her antics, finding them to be kind of cute.

"I'm sure you'll do great," Tidus reassured her.

"Thanks Tidus," Yuna said with a smile. "I think... it's because after the concert I'm meeting with..."

"YUNA! There you are! We've got to go!" Paine said, appearing out of nowhere and taking Yuna's arm. "Your sound check is in ten minutes, not to mention your wardrobe fitting and everything else," she continued sternly, pulling Yuna quickly down the hallway toward the exit where Brother stood waving impatiently.

"See you later Tidus!" Yuna called over her shoulder, as she and Paine broke into a jog.

"Bye! Good luck tonight!" he called back, his hand waving automatically, even though Yuna wasn't looking. He sighed, awkwardly putting his hand back down. He looked down at his palm, and almost immediately his thoughts turned back to the previous night. His mind wandered until he finally spotted the subject of his thoughts, standing with some refugees outside the airship.

"Tidus! Hey!" she called waving. He smiled and walked over to her, the refugees saying their goodbyes and heading off toward the city.

"Hey you," he said with a smile. Rikku excitedly reached out and grabbed both of Tidus' hands in hers.

"I'm so excited! Today is going to be so much fun, and Yunie's concert is going to rock!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, sure is," a gruff voice said, interrupting. Tidus and Rikku turned to see Gippal standing next to them, his arms crossed. Rikku immediately dropped Tidus' hands and frowned. "We need to go round up any new refugees before we can have fun. Come on," he said insistently, trying to wrap his arm around Rikku's shoulder. She wriggled away and sighed dramatically.

"Great. Definitely sounds like a three-person job," she said, annoyed.

"We can always make it a two-person job," Gippal said sweetly, giving Rikku the up-down look. "Just like old times," he tried to grab her again but she shook him off.

"Whatever Gippal, let's just get going," she said, walking ahead quickly. Gippal looked back at Tidus and smirked.

"She wants me," he mouthed, pounding a fist to his chest before turning to follow Rikku. Tidus raised his eyebrows, not sure what to make of the situation. Before he could think too hard about it, vivid thoughts of Rikku flooded his mind again, and the smile returned to his face as he headed toward the city.

* * *

Rounding up refugees didn't prove to be the most exciting job in the world. Most people's brains were kind of fried, so it was impossible to talk to them. Without knowing where they were from or where they wanted to go, the Gullwings couldn't take them because it would be considered kidnapping. At this particular moment, Gippal stood speaking some foreign language to an attendant at a desk while several children in raggy clothes pulled at him excitedly. Rikku stood with her arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently. She blew a piece of hair out of her face and let out an irritable sigh when it fell back.

"Okay. Okay," she said under her breath, her voice anxious. "Tidus, let's get out of here," she looked at him, her eyes wide. He froze, transfixed by her gaze.

"Out... of here?" he asked slowly.

"Yes," she said in a hushed voice, glancing back to Gippal and grabbing Tidus' arm. "Gippal's a meanie. Let's go have fun without him!" she said quietly, looking back again to make sure Gippal's attention was elsewhere.

"But what about the..." Tidus began, but Rikku put a finger against his lips.

"They will be just fine without me. Gippal doesn't even need another person for this job!" Rikku said airily, as she and Tidus watched the children begin to climb up Gippal's legs and waist, pulling him off balance. "Let's go!" she said quickly, stifling a laugh and pulling Tidus toward the exit.

The warm sunlight greeted them outside, and Rikku broke out into a run, pulling Tidus with her.

"Where... are we... going?" he asked between breaths. Rikku looked back at him and smiled.

"Somewhere no one will find us!" she called. "Come on!" Rikku tugged his arm one more time before letting go, and Tidus followed Rikku through the winding city streets. He dodged people left and right, some surprised and some who didn't even seem notice their close call collisions.

After a few minutes, Rikku ducked into a small, dark alley. Tidus followed her, panting as he slowed to a walk in the tiny space.

"Rikku? What is this?" Tidus asked, as they walked down the alley, the walls of each building becoming closer and closer.

"This," Rikku began, looking up toward the distant sky. "Is how I get to my secret place," she said smiling, before jumping up and pushing herself in between the walls. "Follow me, we're almost there," she said mysteriously, climbing slowly up the narrow space. Tidus watched her, mouth agape, as she propelled herself about three stories up. She stopped, leaning over to the building on the right, and began to fiddle with something on the wall. To Tidus' surprise, a small door creaked open, and Rikku pulled herself gracefully inside. She stuck her head out and beckoned with her hand. "Come on Tidus! You have to see this," Tidus gulped nervously as he sized up the distance. "It's not that bad! If a wimpy girl like me can do it, so can you! You big, strong man you," she said flirtatiously. Tidus nodded and smiled, taking the same position Rikku had to climb up. He found it to be harder than it looked.

"Rikku," Tidus began, as he pulled himself slowly up. "You... are not... a wimpy... girl," he said, pausing with each foot scaled up the wall. She giggled, stretching both of her arms out of the opening and waving them.

"I know," she laughed. "Just trying to make you feel better!"

"Oh, so I'm not a big strong man?" Tidus said pausing with a pout, looking up at Rikku who was still about fifteen feet above him.

"You are! But... I saved your life," she said dramatically with a laugh as Tidus climbed closer and closer.

"Yes... you did... thank you... again... for that," he said between gritted teeth. He felt beads of sweat dripping down the back of his neck as he grew closer to the door. "And someday... I'll... save you," Tidus smiled as he finally became parallel with the small door and Rikku's outstretched arms. The two smiled at each other, Rikku's white figure the only thing visible in the dark hall beyond. "Now... how do I get to the..." Tidus mumbled, shifting his weight, attempting to reach the opening as Rikku had.

He let out a yelp as he began to fall back, flailing his arms, reaching for the wall. Rikku gasped, and leaned halfway out the opening to reach Tidus' arms before it was too late. She grabbed him, their skin clapping together as she secured her fingers around his forearms. Rikku gritted her teeth and pulled, hoisting the blonde young man as he regained his footing and helped propel himself to safety. The two lay breathless in the darkness, their faces laying parallel.

"Make that twice," Rikku said with a wink, sitting up.

"Twice! But this was your idea..." Tidus began, but was interrupted by Rikku's lips pressing against his. His mild irritation melted away as her hands wrapped around his face, and then slid into his hair.

"You know... I'm just... kidding..." she said between kisses, before breaking apart and sliding back over toward the door. "Watch your feet," she said as she pulled the door shut with a metallic click. Tidus' eyes adjusted to the darkness as Rikku's figure brushed past him. "Stay close," she murmured in his ear, assuming a half-standing position as she quietly headed into the darkness. Tidus headed after her, not wanting to get lost. "Keep as quiet as possible. I don't know if there's people below us... or if we're even allowed to be here," she said in a mischievous whisper. Tidus imagined Rikku's grinning face in the darkness and smiled, despite the prospect of getting caught in an impossibly dark hallway. After several minutes of winding through darkness, half hunched over, the glowing outline of a door became visible. Rikku accelerated the remaining distance, excitedly throwing open the door.

Tidus shielded his eyes as the sudden brightness blinded him. He felt his way blindly to the door, his eyes gradually adjusting to the change. He wrapped his hands around the door frame, and peeked his head out into the new room, viewing through his half-open eyes. Rikku stood in the middle of the room, her arms outstretched. She turned to look at Tidus and bounded over to him, pulling him into the space and shutting the door behind him. He stood up straight, and winced as his back popped.

"Open your eyes!" Rikku prodded, jumping up and down. Tidus finally eased them completely open, and gasped. "It's beautiful isn't it?" Rikku said excitedly, stretching her arms open again.

Tidus was standing in an enormous room. It was at least ten stories tall, and the arced ceilings overhead seemed even more distant. The room was illuminated by the sun filtering through the enormous stained glass mural that covered the left wall for several stories. Reds, blues, yellows, greens, purples, pinks, and other various shades of color spotted the room, almost making it difficult to figure out the actual color of the room. Tidus was speechless for a few minutes, as he walked forward, admiring the enormous glass mural.

"It's one of the few beautiful things that survived the war," Rikku began. "I think... the people in charge of this building hid the entrances to this room so no one would destroy it. Maybe it was special or sacred... but I've been coming here for years, every time we come to Luca. I found it accidentally when I was a kid, running from the enemy. I've never showed anyone else... so... lucky you," she said with a smile, looking up at Tidus.

"It's... beautiful," he said, speechless. She smiled and stepped closer to him.

"I had a feeling you'd like it," she said, pulling Tidus into a kiss. They embraced, the light dancing around them, enveloping them, disguising reality and leaving them in a beautiful escape. Rikku pulled Tidus gently to the floor, his mind going blank as he let his thoughts go again. Rikku's lips found his neck, and she kissed around the base of his jaw line to the center of his neck, kissing down to his collar bone. He ran his fingers through her hair and she looked up at him.

"Why is it so easy?" she asked, her eyes questioning.

"Easy?" Tidus echoed, not sure what she was talking about. He twirled her hair between his fingers, meeting her gaze.

"Why is it so easy for me to be with you? It's..." she paused, resting her chin on his chested, green eyes transfixed on him. "It's like I'm dreaming. I'm not... it usually isn't... this easy for me to be with someone. But... here I am... all over you, again," she laughed. Tidus smiled, keeping their eyes locked.

"I'm okay with that," he said, and Rikku continued to laugh.

"I kind of figured," she said, climbing on top of him, wrapping her hands around his face and pulling him into another kiss. Tidus kept his fingers wound in Rikku's hair, and placed his other hand on her waist. She squirmed at his touch and his fingers gently traveled up and back down the small of her back. He smiled as the kiss deepened, Rikku pulling herself closer to him. Her fingers found the edge of his shirt, and she pulled it off, interrupting their kiss for only a moment as the shirt fell to the floor next to them.

"You know..." Tidus began, as Rikku's lips traveled across his neck, toward his chest. "You don't wear a lot of clothing," he said, half smirking as he let his fingers trace the inner edge of Rikku's bikini top. Her breathing became shallow as his fingers lightly caressed the visible part of her breast.

"I guess I don't," she said with a laugh, sitting up. "But, we could always make it less," she smiled mischievously as she reached behind her neck, fiddling with the knot that held her top together. Tidus held his breath, as he watched Rikku slowly work her way out of her tiny top.

In the distance, Tidus heard the melodic chiming of bells, and then the brassy fanfare of trumpets. It was faint, but Rikku must have heard it too, because she paused, the strings of her top wound through her fingers.

"Oh my god... the concert!" she squeaked, jumping up and running to the stained glass. "CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP!" she chanted, peering through a clear pane of glass that must have had a view of the stadium. Rikku frantically tied her top together again, adjusting her clothing and running her fingers frantically through her hair. Tidus jumped up, not sure what to do as Rikku ran to different points of the room.

"Has it started?" Tidus asked, reaching for his shirt and pulling it back on.

"Not yet, but soon. Really, really soon," Rikku sighed, shaking her head. "Alright, we're going to have to take the express,"

"The... express?" Tidus asked, adjusting his clothes so they were back to normal.

"Yes," Rikku said, without hesitation. She took Tidus' hand and pulled him toward a large wooden counter with many cabinet doors surrounding it. She threw open random doors, murmuring "No" before slamming them each shut again, until finally she opened one with an "Aha!" She slid legs first into the small space, her feet kicking into the darkness. "Get behind me," she said, motioning for Tidus to put his legs on either side of her.

"Okay..." he said, slowly sliding into the dark space.

"And shut the door," Rikku added. Tidus did as she said, and they were left in darkness once again. Rikku pulled Tidus arms around her, and she held his hands in front of her as she began to slide forward. Tidus suddenly became aware of the slanting cabinet floor beneath his bum, and slowly he realized what was about to happen. "Hang on!" Rikku said breathlessly, giving one more strong tug. Tidus let out a scream as he felt himself drop off the edge and begin to fall. Rikku squeezed his hand and screamed along with him, as the two descended rapidly into the darkness.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the brief hiatus! Hope this chapter was worth the wait ;P Please let me know what you think! Stay tuned for chapter six...


End file.
